Because I Love You
by Darkfire75
Summary: Title sucks. Blah. ItaSasu oneshot. Result of boredom and of having Weasel for a nickname. Seriously. Warning: BABY SASUKE CUTENESS XD


_**Author's note: **__OMG!!! I updated!! I know so many of you are waiting for my Hidan/OC fic but right now I have terrible writer's block with that story. Don't worry, I will update it whenever I can. I'm working on so many fics right now. I have a HiDei, HidaIta, and SasuGaa fics halfway written. So…I think this thing spawned from the fact that my friend calls me Weasel (because I cosplay as Itachi occasionally and she cosplays Sasuke) and I guess I figured, since I'm Weasel, I should write a story with Weasel…er…Itachi. I like writing stories where it mostly focuses on him. _

_Yes, this is ItaSasu! Would you expect anything less from me? mehehe. So…I had no plan when I started this little oneshot thingy, but it somehow developed a plot of some sort. I love how I completely disregard Fugaku's existence in this. I didn't mind the guy, but Itachi obviously wasn't fond of him, so I kinda kept him out of the picture (for Weasel's sake :D). Oh yeah, and baby Sasuke is CUTE!!! I normally can't stand babies…they make me want to punch things. But dammit, Sasuke's just too…yeah, let's just say I can understand why Itachi loves him so much :D _

_**Disclaimer: **__If I owned Naruto, this would be an entire episode flashback of Itachi's! Weasel FTW:P I'm done now. Enjoy! _

* * *

Itachi couldn't describe the little bundle his mother was currently holding. It was small and peach-colored with tiny tufts of dark hair on the head. He was told it was his little brother. He got closer to examine the little creature, marveling at how small and delicate he looked.

He gently poked the baby's forehead. His mother gave him a look. "Sweetie, don't do that," she said sternly, cuddling his brother closer to her chest.

Itachi pouted and sat back, watching as his mother cooed and coddled his new brother. He couldn't remember her ever doing that to him. Then again, his father had started training him at a young age. He wasn't allowed to feel emotions if he was to become a powerful ninja. He wanted to say his brother was cute, but his ninja training prevented him from saying so.

"What's his name?" he finally asked.

Mikoto blinked and smiled at him. "Sasuke."

"Sasuke," Itachi repeated, cocking his head to the side. He gently took hold of one of Sasuke's chubby little fingers. "I'll always protect you, otouto."

* * *

It had only been a week since Sasuke had been born and already Itachi was annoyed. He was five years old, but he was very mature for his age. So his parents gave him the duty of watching over Sasuke if they went out to run errands, or in the case of their father, to patrol the streets of Konoha. Right away he learned that yelling at a baby to stop crying does not make them stop crying; it only makes them cry louder.

"Stop it," Itachi growled, glaring down at his sobbing brother. Sasuke was in his crib, wailing away at the top of his lungs for no apparent reason. Of course Itachi wasn't well versed in baby-speech like his mother, so he had no idea what was wrong. He leaned down and poked his brother's forehead. Sasuke stopped crying and blinked, looking up at Itachi. Then he started to cry again. Itachi face-palmed and hung his head.

He tried everything. He tried feeding him, but all Sasuke did was throw the food back in his face. He tried giving him one of his toys, but that was thrown back at Itachi as well. When he thought nothing would work, he realized something important: Where did Sasuke go to the bathroom? He wasn't potty-trained…

His eyes widened and he slowly turned to look at his still crying brother. That had to be it. Sasuke had gone to the bathroom and… Itachi shuddered. His mother was always the one to usually deal with the 'icky baby stuff' as he called it. He had no experience changing diapers. Nevertheless, he knew the crying wouldn't cease until Sasuke's diaper was change.

Itachi grabbed one of those pincher things used to hold up laundry outside and put it on his nose. Then he carefully lifted Sasuke out of his crib and placed him on a towel that was on the floor. He swallowed hard and began to undo the diaper. Itachi decided at that point that he'd rather endure all the painful training sessions with his father than change a baby's diaper.

Of course after that, Sasuke was giggling and smiling like a fat chubby stupid thing. Itachi felt like poking him all over, just to get even. He had disposed of the dirty diaper and put a new one on his brother. Sasuke also seemed in high spirits and thought that Itachi's hair was fun to play with. Itachi's hair never did grow the right way again after Sasuke had ripped out a chunk.

* * *

Itachi wasn't a baby expert, but he was sure that they should start walking after a few months of being born. Sasuke had yet to stand up on his chubby little legs. He was a lazy baby. Even his father had commented that Sasuke wasn't like Itachi at all. He was always happy and smiling and just…the total opposite. Itachi took that as an insult. He wasn't happy and smiling _because_ of his duty as the Uchiha heir.

Itachi had been sitting outside, enjoying some dango when he saw a little hand reach out and grab one off his plate. He turned and watched as Sasuke stuffed the thing into his mouth, smiled with big cheeks, and then made a face. He spit the dango back out and whimpered. "You don't like sweet things, otouto?" Itachi asked with a small smile, eating his dango happily.

Sasuke looked up at him with a quivering lip and big, watery eyes. Damn his cuteness. Itachi sighed and pat his brother's head. "I'll get you some tomatoes. Okaa-san said you like them." He went into the kitchen and came back with a plate of tomatoes. He watched as Sasuke took a bite and literally inhaled the vegetable. "You know, you need to learn how to walk," he mumbled to Sasuke. "Okaa-san and Otou-san are worried."

His brother was still eating the tomato. Itachi shook his head and stood up. He felt a tug on his pant leg and looked down. Sasuke was trying to lift himself onto his legs. His eyes widened. He watched as Sasuke, very slowly, pulled himself up using Itachi's leg as a brace. He wobbled a bit and took a few awkward steps, much to Itachi's amazement. Sasuke had a look of concentration of his chubby little face. He took one step after another and looked up to smile widely at Itachi. He lost his footing for a second and started to fall forward, but Itachi was fast enough to catch him before he hit the ground.

He held his brother against his chest and smiled. "You did it, Sasuke. You walked."

* * *

"'tachi!"

Sasuke was already a year old and talking, but he couldn't say Itachi's name correctly. His mother thought it was cute. Itachi thought it was annoying. And ever since he had learned to talk, Sasuke just kept babbling about weird, incessant nothings.

"'tachi! 'tachi! 'tachi go booooooom!!"

"Itachi, why don't you play with him?" his mother asked.

Itachi gave her a look that said 'but mooooooooom!!!' Unfortunately, no son is able to withstand their mother when she says she'll buy some dango. So Itachi found himself playing 'make Sasuke laugh like a retard.' He would do something (that wasn't even funny, mind you) and Sasuke would break out into hysterical laughter. It was the creepiest thing and yet Itachi was amazed what could set his brother off.

One time all he did was stand up and sit back down and Sasuke was rolling on the floor laughing. Itachi decided his brother had some issues.

* * *

Sasuke was five now and he had taken to following Itachi _everywhere_. To an older sibling, it's annoying. Itachi couldn't train without Sasuke poking his head out from behind a rock, or a tree, or a bush. It was like he was stalking him.

"Sasuke, if you want to train, just say so."

"I…I just like watching you, nii-san," Sasuke replied, blushing furiously.

Itachi sighed, closing his eyes. "Fine. Stay out of the way though. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Hai!"

His father had told him to let go of needless emotional attachments like love and compassion. He was a ninja; already a genin and ready to take the Chuunin exams. And yet Itachi still found himself spending time with his little brother, caring for him and looking out for him. His father would never be able to take those feelings away. Not if he could help it.

* * *

It was Itachi's birthday. But it was a rule that once an Uchiha becomes a full-fledged ninja, there is no need to celebrate birthdays. What was the point? His mother greeted him with a big smile and a plate full of dangos, which, for Itachi, was one of the best presents he could have ever wished for. As he sat in his room, looking over scrolls and other information about his next mission, he heard a knock on his door and went to answer it.

Sasuke poked his head in shyly. "Sorry to bother you, nii-san. I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday."

Itachi swallowed the dango in his mouth and smiled. "Thank you, Sasuke."

Sasuke held up a piece of paper that he had drawn on. It had adorably drawn stick figures of Itachi and himself holding hands under a rainbow. Itachi stared at the picture, trying with all his might what he had done to deserve such a wonderful and adorable little brother. He reached forward and pulled Sasuke into a hug, startling the younger boy. Itachi never hugged him like this. He was told not to by their father. Itachi pulled back and playfully poked Sasuke's forehead.

"Thank you very much, Sasuke," he repeated. "I will treasure this forever."

Sasuke blushed. "Y-You're welcome, nii-san."

* * *

He knew from the start he wasn't going to kill Sasuke. He couldn't bring himself to. The site of those big dark orbs staring up at him with confusion, anger, shock, and betrayal made his heart wrench. He had killed them all for him. Sasuke was his life. He had never realized just how far his feelings went for his brother until now.

Staring down at him as he cried, Itachi wanted to take him in his arms and kiss his tears away. He wanted to protect Sasuke. But he knew that by doing this, Sasuke would learn to hate him. He would hate him so much that he would do things that went against his early life lessons. Itachi hated putting this burden on his beloved brother, but it was necessary. The Uchihas had been corrupt.

"Nii-san…why?"

_Because I love you. _

"Why would you…kill everyone?"

_Because I love you. _

"Why?!"

_Because I…_

"To test my abilities."

_Such a horrible lie. And I call myself a ninja? _

Itachi left Konoha that night, telling Sasuke to come find him when he was stronger and full of hate. Then, they would settle everything.

* * *

Seeing Sasuke again after all those years had Itachi remembering fond memories. Even though this brother was spouting words like 'revenge,' he was still his precious little brother. He had grown into a strong ninja. But he was still weak compared to Itachi. Itachi wanted him strong; strong enough to beat him and fulfill his revenge for the Uchiha clan that Itachi had so mercilessly massacred.

"Why are you so weak?" he asked softly, pinning Sasuke to the wall. His lips gently touched his brother's ear and Sasuke shivered. "It's because you late hatred," he whispered, letting his lips come very close to Sasuke's. "I told you to only come after me when you were strong and engulfed in hatred."

He never saw Sasuke after that.

* * *

Itachi was ready. His brother was strong and leaking hatred. This was how the battle was supposed to be. He would die by Sasuke's hand, if all went right, and Sasuke would know his reasons for everything. Of course that didn't mean that Itachi would just willingly let himself die.

Their battle was intense. Both Uchihas were out for blood and attacking at every angle. Itachi used his Sharingan but it was countered by Sasuke's. He was amazed at the progress his brother had made. He was very strong now. They continued to fight, losing large amounts of blood.

"Tired, otouto?" Itachi said mockingly.

Sasuke glared at him, eyes narrowing to slits. "Never!" He lunged, managing to slice Itachi's cheek with his sword. Itachi could feel his injuries slowing him down. He was at his limit. His chakra was almost gone and he had lost a lot of blood. He could barely breathe. "What's wrong, Uchiha Itachi?" Sasuke called.

Itachi didn't answer. He stood his ground and waited as Sasuke circled him at fast speeds before finally thrusting his sword forward. There was an eerie silence filled only by the splashing of blood. Sasuke stared wide-eyed at his sword embedded in Itachi's abdomen. Itachi gave a half-smile and fell backward onto the grass. Sasuke took his sword out and fell to his knees.

"Why didn't you dodge?!" he cried. "You let me—"

"I have no more energy, Sasuke," Itachi muttered. "You should be happy?"

"I'm not happy with a victory like this! You were supposed to be at full power!"

"I was. You were stronger."

Sasuke's eyes became glossy and he stared at the ground. "Why…"

"I did it for you." Itachi watched as Sasuke looked at him, confusion written all over his face. "The clan…I killed them…for you." Sasuke paled, his eyes widening.

"No…No! You lie!"

"Believe what you want, otouto. But that is the truth. The Uchihas were corrupt. I wanted to save you from becoming like me."

"So you killed everyone?! Some of those people were innocent!"

Itachi closed his eyes. "I hope someday you can forgive me and understand why I did it."

"Never…I will _never_ forgive you, you bastard."

Itachi smiled sadly. "I thought you would say that." He reached up and gently caressed his brother's cheek, wiping blood and tears away. "I've always loved you, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes widened again before closing tightly. He slowly reached to hold onto his brother's hand. "Itachi…I…"

"Shh, otouto." He reached into his cloak and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. "Take that and keep it safe."

Sasuke blinked and unrolled it, his face changing upon realization of what it was. "I…I gave this to you for your birthday all those years ago. You've kept it all this time?"

Itachi smiled slightly. "I did say I would treasure it forever, didn't I?"

He saw his brother's eyes water and for the first time in a long time, Sasuke was not fifteen years old, he was five again. He let out a sob and wrapped his arms around Itachi's neck. Itachi could feel himself slipping away, but held his brother back anyway. Sasuke pulled back and kissed his brother's forehead.

"I love you too…nii-san. I always have."

Itachi died with a smile on his face and eternal tears falling down his cheeks. Sasuke burned his body, for obvious and personal reasons. He tucked the old picture he had drawn into his waistband and took a deep breath. It was time to go home.

* * *

_**Author's note: **I know it's a bit confusing...I just kinda jumped around, but I hope you guys liked it anyway. I've never written this long of a oneshot before. My hands hurt :( 'Til next time!_


End file.
